


The Chaotic Case of the Missing Cat

by kb928



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Cats, Despite what he thinks, Fluff, Good Theo, Harry Potter References, Humor, Jealous Liam, Liam is a Little Shit, Liam is dramatic af, M/M, Misunderstandings, Mutual Pining, Oblivious Theo, Pack Feels, Sassy Liam, Scheming, Scott McCall is a Good Alpha, Witchcraft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-11
Updated: 2018-03-21
Packaged: 2019-03-30 01:21:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 17,262
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13939518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kb928/pseuds/kb928
Summary: Scott returns home to Beacon Hills for Winter Break, excited to reconnect with his pack and relax after a long semester away at college.He should have expected things would never work out as planned.It’s Beacon Hills, after all.Or the story in which Liam gets a cat, loses his cat a week later, and proceeds to have a hissy fit and blame Theo’s new friend for the disappearance.And of course, witches are involved.





	1. Chapter 1

Scott parks the jeep carefully in the driveway, relief washing over him as he spots the lights on through the window of his childhood home. Noticing Mason’s car parked alongside the curb, he smiles to himself, knowing if Mason was there, then his first beta would be as well.

 

He frowns, thoughtfully, as he exits the vehicle, jogging around the side to grab his bags from the trunk. Scott arrived home earlier than planned, so his friends were expecting him the following morning. Was there something wrong? Or was Liam so anxious to see him that he was going to spend the night at his mom’s house to be there in the morning when Scott arrived?

 

Chuckling quietly, he maneuvers around the vehicles, weaving his way to the front porch of the two-story house. Liam was infamous for not being a morning person, and Scott didn’t put it past his beta to oversleep despite his excitement and thus miss his arrival. 

 

Lost in thought, Scott completely misses the overwhelming smell of anxiety wafting through the door as he opens it. He drops his bags in the hall, deciding he can move them to his room later, and strolls towards the living room, entirely unaware of the drama unfolding.

 

The image in front of him makes him pause in confusion.

 

Liam is angrily pacing around the living room as his the Alpha's mom, Mason, and Corey wordlessly track his movements. Mason is chewing his lip, lost in thought, and Corey’s eyes are wide, concernedly watching the temperamental beta, likely fearing a destructive outburst.

 

“Hi, guys,” he grins meekly, not even sure he wants to know what has Liam worked up.

 

“Thank God you’re home early,” his mom and Liam cry in unison, Mason and Corey waving to him from their position on the couch, the two boys visibly relaxing at his presence.  A ghost of a smile crosses his mom’s face, but she quickly covers it behind her hand as Liam halts his pacing, hurling himself towards Scott in dramatic despair. 

 

Arms full of his sobbing beta, Scott awkwardly pats Liam on the back, gaze pleading as he looks to his mom for support. 

 

“I’m just as lost as you are, sweetie,” she sighs, kissing his cheek. “I’m glad your trip was safe, though.”

 

He grins at her, warmth flooding his chest as he soaks in the scent of his pack despite the current tension.

 

“She’s gone!” Liam moans, and that previous warmth is squashed, dread forming in the pit of Scott’s stomach. He rifles through his brain to figure out who Liam could be referring to.

Malia was in Ireland with Peter. Kira was still in New Mexico with the Skinwalkers. Lydia was picking Stiles up from George Washington, the two friends road tripping back to Beacon Hills together and arriving sometime tomorrow afternoon. Hayden...well, he had no idea where Hayden was at this point, but he wasn’t aware that Liam still cared? Was there another girl in his life?

 

He felt like the shittiest Alpha in the world when he couldn’t come up with a plausible answer.

 

“We’ll find her,” Scott reassures the now hiccuping boy. “It’ll be okay, Liam.” 

 

He pats Liam on the shoulder with more confidence than he feels

 

Liam sniffles, using his sleeve to wipe his nose, making Scott inwardly cringe at the unsanitary action, once again grateful werewolves couldn't get sick. The beta nods his head in understanding.

 

_ Who are we finding? _   He mouths to Mason and Corey over the top of the beta’s bowed head.

 

“Princess Lea,” Corey answers aloud, wincing as a fresh wave of sobs rack Liam’s body at the mention of the name.

 

“Scott can’t help if he doesn’t know what’s wrong, Li,” Mason points out helpfully, gripping Corey’s hand tighter as if he could diminish Corey’s guilt by touch alone.

 

“Isn’t that the chick from Star Wars?” Scott inquires, relief washing over him as this tragedy appears less….tragic...than originally thought.

 

“That’s Princess Leia,” Masons sighs, like he’s ashamed of Scott’s lack of nerdiness. The Alpha doesn’t bother taking offense since Stiles has been communicating with him the same way over the past ten years or so. “Princess Lea is Liam’s missing cat. You know, like Lea Michelle from Glee?”

 

_ When did Liam get a cat?  _  Scott wonders distressingly. He vaguely remembers scrolling through Instagram last week and seeing the beta posted a picture posing with an orange and white Maine Coon. He thought it was just a friend's cat or something, since Liam never showed any interest in adopting a cat. 

  
Could you resign as Alpha?

 

Reaching his arm out to grasp Liam’s shoulder, he mutely pulls the beta into a crushing hug, wrapping his strong arms around the shorter boy. 

 

“What’s up my party peeps?!” a voice cries as the front door slams open, making everyone in the room jump in alarm despite recognizing the familiar voice. 

 

The sound of two sets of footsteps make their way to the living room, preventing Scott from asking his question to the group (and revealing how terribly out of touch he was with his pack). He releases the beta from the hug, but keeps a comforting arm draped over his shoulders. 

 

“Thank God you’re home early,” Scott moans, mimicking the previous sentiment of his Mom and Liam. He felt wholeheartedly unprepared to deal with the current drama. 

 

He may be a True Alpha, but doesn’t he deserve a break sometime, too?

 

And maybe a Cliff Notes version of the events he missed so he doesn’t have to show how wholey out of touch he is? That’s all he wants. 

 

But why did it have to be so hard to get? And where the fuck was Theo? Scott was relatively confident their former enemy had been the one solving Liam’s unique crises since Scott left for college.

 

“Yeah, Lydia drives like she’s auditioning for Fast and Furious 13, or whatever number they’ve currently made it to,” Stiles laughs, wrapping Scott and Liam both in a huge group hug. 

 

Scott one-arm side hugs Lydia next, more gently than he did Stiles, pleased at the appearance of his two closest friends. He allows both his arms to fall to his side but stands shoulder to shoulder with Liam, letting their body contact soothe the beta.

 

“Scott, my brother, why does our son look like someone killed his kitten?” Stiles asks as he takes in Liam’s despondent appearance, lips pursing in a pout as tears silently drip down his face at the mention of a kitten.

 

Everyone, except Lydia, winces at Stiles’s tactless comment, but Liam wordlessly plops down in the nearest armchair, head in his hands as he ignores Stiles’s remark.

 

Stiles notices Lydia’s unimpressed face.

 

“What?” he questions, eyes flicking to the ceiling, rethinking his last comment. “Ah, probably a bit awkward to refer to Scott as my brother and Liam as our son, aye?”

 

Lydia tosses her fiery red hair over her shoulders. “Exactly. This isn’t some homosexual version of Game of Thrones, Stiles. What’s going on?” 

 

She gracefully perches on the arm of the chair Liam is occupying, manicured hand gently rubbing circles up and down the beta’s back. 

 

Scott weakly shrugs in response. Her guess was likely much better than his.

 

“My cat ran away,” Liam sniffs, head still lowered as he answers the Banshee's question.

 

“Oh no, Liam, we’ll help you find Princess Lea!” Lydia promises, her voice comforting but firm. 

 

Scott’s feelings of worthlessness triple. 

 

“Maybe you’re a terrible Cat Dad,” Stiles chuckles, flinching as Lydia whips her hand back, painfully smacking his arm. “He’s a werewolf! He isn’t meant to be raising furry cat babies! It goes against nature.”

 

“Stiles,” Scott admonishes his friend, the scent of Liam’s distress giving him a headache. “Be a little bit sensitive, please.”  
  
  
He nods towards the depressed beta.

 

“No, it’s okay,” Liam sniffles. “Stiles is right. I’m not cut out to be a father.”

 

“Don’t say that,” Lydia coos, glaring up at Stiles as she continues to speak. “Stiles doesn’t have a nurturing bone in his body, so he doesn’t understand the bond between a human and their pet.”

 

“She wasn’t a pet, she was my friend,” Liam mumbles as Stiles cries, “Hey!” but Scott cuts him off before he can initiate an argument.

 

“Where’s Theo?” he asks, because although he may be out of touch with the day-to-day life of the remaining pack,  _ everyone _ knew Liam and Theo were inseparable.

 

“He’s gone,” Liam growls, head whipping up to glare at Scott. Lydia drops her hand from the beta’s back in shock at the sudden switch from despair to rage. 

 

Huh, guess they were separable.

 

“With his  _ girlfriend _ .” 

 

The beta's words are simple, but the venom in his tone surprises the newcomers, Liam spitting the word ‘girlfriend’ as if it burned him. 

 

Mason and Corey seemed uncomfortable, eyes shifting around the room, but they remained silent, unwilling to further explain what Liam means. 

 

Scott frowns contemplatively, mulling over Liam’s words. Didn’t he just pass Theo’s blue truck at the gas station a mile or so away from Liam’s house? 

 

“Good,” he hears Stiles say. “You’re better off without that good for nothing science experiment. He wasn’t even a success! You don’t want to surround yourself with failures, right, buddy?”

 

Stiles glances up at the Alpha, eyes bright and hopeful, looking to Scott for support.

 

Scott sighs.

 

After the business with the Anuk-ite and the hunters, Scott ceremonially accepted Theo as the Pack’s ally, He wasn’t  _ in _ the pack per se, but he was extended a portion of protection. Technically, Theo was still an omega, but in the event of a threat, his power would increase, allowing him defend himself and the pack if need be. 

 

Most of the pack approved the appointment without argument. Malia was significantly more challenging to convince of Theo’s dedication to the well being of their pack, but after spending a week with him alone on a mission, she reluctantly accepted him.

 

“I still hate his guts and will tear him limb from limb if he even sneezes suspiciously,” she swore, causing Scott to smile and plant a soft kiss on her forehead.

 

When Scott eventually asked what made her change her mind, she claimed it was hard to think of him as Evil Theo when all he did was “mope around, making everything smell bad because Liam couldn’t go with us.”

 

Stiles was a different story.

 

Scott trusted Theo with Stiles’s safety. Mostly because Liam adored Stiles, and Theo (“secretly”) adored Liam, and thus would protect Stiles if that meant keeping Liam happy.

 

Stiles didn’t possess the same commitment towards Liam’s happiness, at least in any situation regarding the chimera.

 

“She’s not his girlfriend, I’ve told you that a million times, Liam,” Melissa scolded from the kitchen where she’s skimming through her coupon booklet to find a pizza deal to feed her family of misfits.

 

“But you refuse to tell me how you know!” Liam snips, and Scott would bet his True Alpha status this is an argument the two have gone back and forth with many times before.

 

His mom reenters the living room, her face flickering between emotions as she decides how to answer Liam.

 

“Because he told me,” she answers simply, staring pointedly at Liam, daring him to challenge her.

 

Which, of course, he does.

 

“When?” Liam’s skepticism is evident on his face, lips in a straight line and brows furrowed in doubt.

 

Melissa glares, but she’s fully aware how stubborn her son’s beta is.

 

“I promised Theo I wouldn’t tell anyone, so don’t you dare tease him about this,” she commands, hand on her hip and glowering at each of them in turn.

 

They all nod in affirmation, too curious and way too scared to defy the nurse. 

 

“We talk sometimes when he brings me dinner at the hospital on Wednesday’s since those are my long shifts.”

 

Well, that was certainly news to Scott. Now, he was the one with questions.

 

“You never told me that,” he retorts, wincing at the slight whine and accusation in his tone. She apparently hears it, as well.

 

“It’s none of your business, Scott.” She turns to face the rest of the group. “Or any of you for that matter. Yes, I was skeptical at first. But I’ve seen firsthand the effort he’s making into atoning for his mistakes. Will I ever completely forgive him for what he did to all of us? No. But I will accept and support him as he works on bettering himself, as I implore the rest of you to do.” 

 

Scott both sees and smells varying degrees of guilt on each of his friend’s faces, most intensely on Liam’s and Stiles’s. 

 

“We should call Theo,” Scott decides, his mom leaving the room to finish her task. “He’s the best tracker, and I’m going to assume, the most familiar with Princess Lea?”

 

Corey and Mason nod in agreement, but Liam shoots from his seat so quickly, Lydia almost falls off the arm of the chair as it forcefully rocks back and forth in his wake.

 

“You can’t call him!” Liam begs, coming to stand directly in front of Scott, tilting his head back to look his Alpha in the eyes. “Promise me you won’t call Theo. He doesn’t need to be involved.”

 

“Okay, Liam, I won’t call him,” Scott assures his beta with a small smile. Liam smiles at him for the first time all evening, thanking him as he returns to the recliner.

 

“I’ll be right back,” he announces to the group. They start to whisper among themselves, and he runs to grab his bags from the hall. Jogging up the stairs, he throws them onto his bed and enters his en suite bathroom, lowering himself to rest on the side of the bathtub.

 

_ Urgent pack meeting at my house, _ he hurriedly texts the chimera. 

 

_ Busy _ , _ sorry, _  Theo immediately texts back.

 

_ It’s Liam.  _ Scott replies, slipping his phone back into his pocket.

 

He wasn’t sure what was going on between the two former friends, but if Theo still cared about the boy, Scott knew he’d show up. And if he hurt Liam in anyway, he was confident Mason would let Stiles borrow the baseball bat the older boy had gifted him before they left for college.

 

Reentering the living room, Scott acquired newfound determination to figure out how to resolve the current situation, allowing him reclaim his hard earned Winter Break.

 

“Alright, Liam, now that we’re all here, can you tell us what happened?” he kindly asks, joining Stiles and Lydia on the couch. Mason and Corey are still holding hands on his mom’s new loveseat, nestled together and worriedly staring at their werewolf friend. 

 

Liam’s stoically seated on the recliner once more, tears dried as he stares impassively at the wall in front of him, lost in thought. His mom claimed Lydia’s former spot on the arm of the chair, right arm tossed supportively over Liam’s lean shoulders.

 

Liam takes a long, deep breath, opening his mouth to begin his story. 

 

Before he can, the front door once again flies open, causing everyone but Scott to leap to their feet as they wait for the unexpected intruder to appear.  

 

Theo strides determinedly into the room, breezing passed a gaping Stiles, making his way to stand resolutely in front of Liam.

 

“Did the witches curse you, too?” he questions gruffly, brilliant green eyes analyzing Liam’s form, attempting to spot any ailment. “Well, again, I guess.” He laughs lightly, placing both hands on Liam’s shoulders so Liam can’t pull away. Theo flashes his werewolf eyes, satisfied as Liam unconsciously flashes his own golden eyes back at the perceived challenge.

Scott raises a questioning eyebrow, trying to recall any mention of witches over the last several months. He remembers Liam mentioning a few dozen covens descending upon Beacon Hills in October for some sort of annual month long ceremony at the Nemeton. Fuzzy on the details, Scott remembers Deaton explaining the ceremony was harmless, more of a giant reunion of sorts, and occurred at a random Nemeton around the world each year. This year Beacon Hills was chosen, but Liam assured the Alpha their remaining pack had it all under control, never once alluding to any altercations between the pack and the covens.

 

“I don’t see why you care,” Liam sneers, scowling at the chimera as he rudely shoves Theo’s hands away, crossing his own arms over his chest. The look is so Theo-esque, Scott averts his eyes from the two to keep himself from laughing.

 

“Careful, Baby Beta, or your face will get stuck like that,” Theo goads, and oh god, Scott predicts what’s coming before Theo finishes his sentence.

 

Reeling his arm back, Liam forms his right hand into a fist, launching it forwards towards Theo’s model-esque face. Closing his eyes, Scott expects to hear the crunch of Theo’s nose breaking (again), but peeks a confused eye open as the only sound he hears is Liam’s growl of rage. 

 

Theo, also aware of what was coming, catches the beta’s hand in his own larger one, effectively blocking the punch. 

 

“I thought we were passed this,” Theo calmly sighs, and Scott cringes in sympathy as Theo’s fingers squeeze tightly around Liam’s hand, bones cracking audibly until Liam finally rips his hand free.

 

“God damnit, asshole” he grumbles, childishly kicking Theo’s shin, retreating back to his seat with his metaphorical tail tucked between his legs. Theo chuckles, not even wincing at the impact that undoubtedly stung.  

 

Melissa sighs, gently grabbing Liam’s injured hand, snapping the bones into place before Liam can think to pull away.

 

“Tell us what you mean about witches, Theo,” Lydia directs, reminding them why they were all there in the first place.

 

“There are two witches who go to our school,” Theo explains as he moves backwards towards the outer edges of the room. He stands stiffly, one foot bent back onto the wall as he leans back against it. “The Skinner Sisters.”

  
  
“That’s a lovely name,” Stiles snorts, interrupting Theo’s explanation. “It really fills me with images of flowers, bunnies, sunshine, and flayed bodies over a campfire”

 

“It’s their last name,” Theo sneers, rolling his eyes. “They cursed my friend, Claire.”

 

“Well, obviously she would have to be cursed to be friends with you,” Stiles snarks back, smirking as Theo and Liam simultaneously growl. The difference, of course, being that Theo is growling at Stiles, and Liam is...well, just growling? Scott assumes it’s at the mention of the female name he hasn’t heard of before.

 

Scott’s fairly certain any supernatural within a ten mile radius could smell the anger radiating from the beta. 

 

“None of this,” Lydia says, waving her hand between Stiles, Theo, and Liam, “is helpful.” 

 

She stands up, skirt whirling behind her in an array of mesmerizing blue and white. Lydia moves towards the front of the room, one hand on her hip, the other being used to give directions.

 

“You,” she points to Stiles. “Shut up.”

  
  
Stiles mouth opens to respond.

 

“Stiles,” she growls, and wow, how can a Banshee sound more intimidating than an Alpha? Scott thinks maybe he should be taking notes.

 

Stiles mimes locking his mouth and throwing the key away.

 

“You,” she points to Liam. “Sit down, shut up, and wait until I call on you.”

 

Liam glares in response but silently does as she says. 

 

“You,” she points to Theo. “Explain.”

 

“As I was saying,” Theo starts, pointedly looking at Stiles, the taller boy sticking his tongue out in retaliation. “These twins go to our school, and they randomly cursed Claire on her way home. She’s a werecat, and now all her powers are gone.”

 

“She deserved it,” Liam interjects, not allowing Scott to voice his sympathy for Claire’s plight. “They’re cool, they only mess with you if you’ve done something to offend them.”

 

“You sound like you know this from personal experience,” Stiles notes, Lydia’s directive to say silent already forgotten.

 

“He does,” Theo smirks, knowing the beta would try to brush off Stiles’s statement as if it was no big deal. 

 

But Theo remembers their Week of Terror in October against the hapless beta. 


	2. Chapter 2

The Skinner Sisters were born witches, twins from a well respected family. They were young, considered inexperienced in witchcraft due to their age, but they were exceptionally clever compared to other magical teenagers. Did they possess any rare, extraordinary sets of powers? No, not really. But they were schemers, two intelligent and patient young women who waited until the opportune moment to strike, coming up with unique and unexpected ways to torment those they deemed deserved it.

 

Unfortunately for Liam, he unknowingly appeared on their radar within a week of the two girls enrolling in school. Their parents only allowed them to attend the month long ceremony if they continued their education in the city chosen that year. So, every October, the Skinner sisters started a new school for one month, blending in with the human students and keeping their witchcraft a secret from their peers. Their parents enjoyed California so much, they moved their family to the city after the other covens left.

 

Deaton informed the remaining pack members that dozens of covens of witches and wizard would be spending the month of October in Beacon Hills for an annual ceremony held at the Nemeton. They’d likely only see the various magical beings out and about in town, but they were warned to be courteous at all times. Magical beings, he explained, took offense easily. Wizards would react directly and violently which werewolves were well suited to handle. But witches were more patient, casting spells and curses on their offenders when they least expected it.

 

Liam’s troubles began, unbeknownst to him, during the midst of a heated argument with Theo about whether or not witches legitimately flew on brooms. They were en route to the lacrosse field, walking side by side, completely absorbed in their discussion and wholly inattentive to their surroundings.

 

Liam was on his way to practice, and Theo would be finishing his homework seated at the top of the bleachers, keeping a keen eye out for trouble. Both boys passionately (and loudly) defended their stance, but the halls were relatively empty, thus allowing them to speak freely.

 

Theo fervidly explained that yes, magical beings used brooms as transportation, but only at night and in clear weather. Not only had he seen one in real life, but the Dread Doctors verified the authenticity of the claim before their untimely demise.

 

“There’s a whole science to choosing the right broom for flight, Liam,” Theo disclosed, perhaps more condescendingly than necessary. But the beta was stubborn, firmly denying that flying brooms existed to begin with as if he had some sort of knowledge about supernatural beings that Theo didn’t!

 

He scoffed at the thought.

 

“You’re full of shit, T, I _know_ you got that from Harry Potter!” Liam accused, face flushed as they moved quickly towards the field, already late because _someone_ refused to get out of the beta’s way until he scarfed a protein bar before practice.

 

“So? Just because it was in Harry Potter doesn’t mean it’s not true,” Theo retorted, sighing agitatedly as Liam accidentally bumped into a dark-skinned girl he’d never seen before.

 

The force of the unexpected impact caused her to drop her stack of books, but thankfully the shorter girl remained upright. She huffed in agitation, glaring quickly at Liam before squatting down to gather her scattered possessions. Theo stooped to pick up a fallen book, handing it back to her with a sincere, apologetic smile.

 

Liam, the rude little shit that he was, mumbled a soft “sorry” and kept walking, stepping over another dropped book on his way down the hall, unwilling to be late _again_ and have to run suicides _again_.

 

Theo jogged to catch up with the beta after making sure the girl was alright. She nodded at him, muttering a faint ‘thanks’ from behind a veil of ebony curls, but her piercing eyes never left Liam’s back, a fact Theo found concerning. But he soon forgot about his unease after the beta’s audacious reply.

 

“HARRY POTTER ISN’T REAL!” Liam screeched irritably, causing Theo to gasp in legitimate offense, hand moving to cover his open mouth in shock. “The only real part of that ridiculous book is that witches and wizards exist. And they don’t even use wands! It’s all full of _lies,_ Theo, LIES. You’re perpetuating a book built on deception. How does that make you feel? What kind of scientist are you?”

 

“Who are you?” he moaned distressingly. “And why are we friends? Seriously, I think we’re breaking up. I’d rather be alone than in the presence of somebody who doesn’t appreciate true literary genius.” Theo pauses, running a hand anxiously through his hair.

 

“Is it because you can’t read? I’ll buy you the audiobook set, Little Wolf. Or read it to you. Anything to make you realize the heinousness of your claims.”

 

The younger boy rolled his eyes, grumbling about how he “didn’t have time for Theo’s dramatics” (pot calling the kettle black, in Theo’s expert opinion).

 

Still reeling from Liam’s abhorrent outburst, the chimera briefly stopped at his locker. Wordlessly, he handed the beta a large Mcdonald’s cup filled with an energy powder supplement he concocted to help naturally increase Liam’s energy levels while playing lacrosse at the end of the day.

 

“Go fill it with water and use the straw to stir it,” Theo instructed, turning back around to finish switching out his books so he could complete his homework. He smiled to himself, knowing it said a lot about the level of trust in their friendship that Liam would consume something Theo created (which he, of course, repeatedly tested on himself until he was confident it was perfect).

 

After doing as Theo advised, Liam sipped the drink, literally moaning around the straw at the refreshing taste, causing a shiver to run through Theo at the erotic sound.

 

“Oh my god, Theo, this is so good, you’re a genius,” he praised, eyes closed in ecstasy, savoring the beverage. When Theo recommended he give up his sugar filled energy drinks, Liam was skeptical. But now? Totally worth it.

 

Preening at the compliment from the only person whose opinion he cared about, Theo rolled his eyes, fully intent on keeping up his appearance as a narcissistic asshole. “It’s unjustly simple to come across as a genius when I’m being compared to you, Dumbar.”

 

He snickered at his own joke.

 

“Wow, I take it back, this is garbage, and you’re a landfill of trash.”   

 

Reaching the end of the hall, blazing blue eyes glaring at the chimera, Liam threw the door open, crashing face first into a girl trying to enter the building. The almost-full drink was crushed between the two, spilling predominantly on the hoodie of Liam’s second victim of the afternoon.

 

“Damnit, owwww,” she groaned, rubbing her nose with her hand where Liam’s forehead struck her. “Oh my god, I just got this sweatshirt!

 

“Sorry,” Liam said blandly, giving the chimera one last unimpressed look. “Theo?...”

 

Theo sighed, annoyed, but always willing to clean up the boy’s mess no matter what it was. “Go, I’ve got it.”

 

Liam gave him a friendly smile and a small wave before dashing off to meet his teammates on the field.

 

Theo frowned, recognizing Liam’s newest victim as the one the beta crashed into just a minute ago. Were they wearing different clothes? This girl’s hair seemed a shade lighter, but maybe Theo just hadn’t been paying enough attention? And how did she get in front of them? They weren’t at his locker that long...

 

“Are you okay?” Theo asked hesitantly, the girl struggling to remove her soaked hoodie without getting the liquid on any other part of her.

 

The girl successfully removed the grey A Day to Remember jacket, instantly beginning to shiver as the cool breeze struck her bare skin.

 

“Yeah,” she murmured, crossing her arms in a futile attempt to warm herself up.

 

Theo removed his leather jacket, wordlessly handing it to the tiny girl. It pained him to do so, but he couldn’t shake the feeling there was something off about this girl, and he would be wise to stay on her good side.

 

Taken aback at his kind gesture, she swiftly slid the heavy jacket onto her body, sighing contently in relief at the warmth.

 

“Thank you,” she smiled, grey eyes losing some of the frostiness they’d previously held when Liam was there.  

 

Trying to remember what the girl from before was wearing, Theo felt immense relief when an almost identical girl approached them.

 

So, they must be twins. And he wasn’t hallucinating.

 

Always good to know.

 

“I’m sorry, again,” he smiled charmingly at the two twins, his gut twisting as he studied them standing side by side. They were both small and elegant looking, dark skinned with intelligent grey eyes. There was something...ethereal about them, though, that Theo couldn’t quite put his finger on. It was as if a soft glow surrounded each of their bodies, but he heard the resounding sounds of their heartbeats, so they weren’t some sort of paranormal creature.

 

They smelled earthy, like they spent a lot of time in nature, but he couldn’t pick up any familiar supernatural scents to indicate if they were anything more than human. “My friend just has a lot on his mind today. He’s usually the nicer one of the two of us.”

 

He gave them a self-deprecating shrug, trying to lessen the tension he felt building.

 

“It’s okay….” Twin One responded, tilting her head questiongly to the side.

 

“Theo Raeken.”

 

“I’m Serena,” Twin Two said. “And this is my sister Skyla.”

 

Theo already forgot their names before the other one opened her mouth again.

 

Twin One furrowed her eyebrows questiongly. “The back of your shirt says Dunbar?”

 

“Ah,” he trailed off uncomfortably. Part of the reason he’d been wearing his jacket all day was because he’d lost a bet to Liam the other night about which girl would win on the latest season of the Bachelor (their secret guilty pleasure show). Liam thought Theo would feel embarrassed to wear one of his lacrosse shirts all day with “Dunbar” emblazoned on the back.

 

The beta was partially right. Theo felt uncomfortable when people asked him about it, but internally? He loved wearing any of the beta’s clothes, surrounded by his scent all day, and preferring when they had the beta’s name on it. It was like Liam was claiming Theo as his. He knew it was ridiculous and borderline creepy, but hey, no one needed to know.

 

“Lost a bet,” he responded smoothly. “But hey, I’ve got a mound of homework to get started on. You both good?”

 

They nodded in unison, Twin Two promising she’d look for him in the halls tomorrow to return the jacket.

 

The week of curses started subtly, going unnoticed by the beta himself until Theo pointed it out.

 

“Did you dye your hair?” Theo asked, confused. He’d spent most of the previous evening studying with the boy for their upcoming math test and didn’t smell any unusual chemicals this morning as they got ready for school. But Liam’s hair appeared blonder since he last saw him in the parking lot when they arrived at school. Almost...yellow.

 

Twin Two had returned Theo’s jacket after first period, handing the washed garment back to him with a thanks, and a kind smile, before heading to her next class. Theo kept it in his locker, intending to wash it again when he got home because the unfamiliar smells set his nerves on edge.

 

“No?” Liam answered, asking a passing girl in the hallway if he could borrow a mirror. She gave him a strange look but handed over a small, circular mirror.

 

“You can keep it, I’ve got one in my compact.”

 

She stared at Theo as she spoke, practically leering at the chimera.

 

The girl fluttered her heavily mascaraed eyelashes, Theo grimacing in response as the scent of Liam’s irritation reached his sensitive nose.

 

“Thanks,” the beta growled, scowling. The girl scampered off, and Liam observed his reflection in the mirror, tilting it back and forth until he was satisfied.

 

“It’s probably just highlights from the sun.”

 

Not wanting to reveal how intently he paid attention the every aspect of the younger boy, Theo dropped the issue, instead teasing Liam about his unorthodox method of charming the ladies.

 

By lunchtime, the beta’s hair was noticeably different, this time with a more reddish tint to it. When Theo pointed it out, Liam insisted it was just the lighting in the cafeteria, and Theo really should focus on things besides the color of his hair.

 

Peeved at being brushed off so rudely, Theo refused to tell Liam his hair now had a blue tint to it when they met at their lockers at the end of the day. It turned out to be a poor decision on his part, because Theo almost crashed his truck at Liam’s horrified scream when he caught sight of it in the truck’s mirrors. Coming up to a stoplight, Theo shifted the truck into park, unbuckled his seat belt, and ruffled through his messy backseat (courtesy of the beta’s lacrosse gear) to find a solution. He silently handed Liam a black beanie, the distraught boy gratefully tucking his sapphire highlighted hair into the hat.

 

Liam refused to take the beanie off through the rest of dinner. Thankfully, his parents were working late, otherwise Theo knew he’d be the one coming up with the lie on why Liam needed to wear the hat indoors in October. Grinning at Liam’s groan of frustration when he removed the beanie and saw the green tints in his dark brown hair, Theo almost smacked himself in the face when he recognized the pattern.

 

“Your hair represented the four colors of the Hogwarts house,” he noted in awe, flinching when the beta swiveled in his computer chair to scowl at him.

 

“So you did this to me to get back at me for my comments yesterday,” he accused, his anger radiating through the room.

 

Theo rolled his eyes, arching a disbelieving eyebrow. “Yes, Liam, the Dread Doctors gave me unlimited magical powers I’ve hidden until now.”

 

Hearing the undeniable sarcasm dripping from his voice, Liam visibly deflated. “You never know with all your science voodoo.”

 

Theo snorted at his ridiculous little wolf, mind whirling at the possibilities of what could be happening. With few facts to go off of, Theo was currently at a loss, but he’d bet his rare First Edition Charizard Pokemon trading card that the Skinner twins were involved.

 

Partial to the beta’s longer hair, Theo was relieved he managed to convince the boy he should wait until tomorrow to see what happens with his hair before making the drastic decision to shave his head.

 

Liam woke before Theo for once, rushing into their shared bathroom to check the status of his hair. Smelling relief from his bedroom down the hall, Theo assumed the beta’s hair was back to normal, but he worried the drama wasn’t over.

 

And, of course, he was right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait in updates! I wanted to plan the whole thing out before I posted because I kept changing ideas. Should be updated again by Sunday!


	3. Chapter 3

Ironically, the curse of the day was something Theo found absolutely fascinating. The early morning passed smoothly, the two boys eating a light breakfast together in the kitchen before their workout at the school gym. Liam was _not_ a morning person, usually, and Theo’s start to the day always began in silence, trying to keep out of the way of the growly beta. Pleased by the sight of his normal dark colored hair, Liam was exceptionally more social than normal.

 

Theo drove them to school, the two spending the short time discussing their workout plan for the day. The chimera designated Wednesdays as Shoulders Day, and he was stoked to try the new pre-workout drink he designed in the Dread Doctors’ abandoned lab.

 

“Dude, your pump is sick,” Liam lauded at the end of their session, pulling out his phone from the pocket of his gym shorts. “You’ve gotta post this online.”

 

Theo rolled his eyes at the beta, but internally preened at the admiration.

 

“Hold on,” he said, pulling his t-shirt off. “Gotta get the full effect.”

 

Pleased at his decision to wear tight athletic pants that made his legs looked jacked, Theo posed for the picture, flexing his arms in an appropriate douchebag form. When he glanced back to the beta, the boy’s lips were slightly parted, a pink blush dotting his cheeks as he gazed down in awe at his phone.

 

“Christ,” Liam muttered, voice thick with emotion.

 

Lightly coughing to get the boy’s attention, Liam’s head jerked up in response, making eye contact with the still shirtless chimera.

 

And that’s when Theo noticed the alarming change in the boy’s eyes.

 

“Holy shit, dude.” He swiftly crossed the distance between the two, roughly grabbing Liam’s chin and tilting his head in various directions.

 

“What are you doing?” he squawked, trying to break free of Theo’s firm grasp. “Unhand me you swine!”

 

The boy’s heart was beating quickly, and there was a thin sheen of sweat on his face. Theo placed the underside of his palm on the boy’s forehead, satisfied when Liam didn’t feel feverish.

 

“Your eyes aren’t blue anymore, they’re pink,” he noted, dropping the boy’s chin but standing close in case he fainted.

 

Werewolves couldn’t get sick like humans, but maybe he caught some sort of werewolf only disease, or had been exposed to another chemical designed to harm supernatural creatures. Could he have pink eye? Theo tried to remember the symptoms for the condition besides, obviously, pink eyes. But usually that caused the whites of the eyes to turn pinkish/red, not the actual eye itself.

 

Theo slid back into his shirt, wondering if he should confront the Skinner sisters. He had no idea if they were witches, and even if they were, no concrete evidence they were the ones doing this to Liam, but something was going on. Maybe he’d stop by Deaton’s after school.

 

Because Theo didn’t believe in coincidences.

 

“Oh god,” the beta moaned, striding to the oversized mirror in the free weight section. “They’re fading, though.”

 

Liam’s eyes changed color multiple times as the day went on. The best Theo could tell, the colors reflected his mood, much like a mood ring would. The shifting colors appeared harmless, but it seriously freaked out their classmates when his eyes transitioned predominately between red and black throughout various parts of the day. Theo advised Liam he just tell everyone he was trying out new color changing contacts, a lie that eased the concern of his peers.

 

Suggesting they talk to Deaton about the concerning things that had been happening, he was hardly surprised when Liam vehemently said no. The beta insisted the veterinarian would get Scott involved, and Liam believed they were fully capable of solving the issue on their own.

 

And by solving it “on their own,” Liam meant Theo would be solving it on his own, especially since Liam rejected the idea of involving Mason and Corey for reasons the chimera still didn’t understand.

 

Theo hoped the whole thing would just go away on its own, but by Thursday, the chimera resigned himself to solving it _his_ way, the beta’s guidelines be damned.

 

Liam spent the day under some version of a truth spell. Which seemed hilarious in theory, but before school even started, Theo was one hundred percent over it,

 

Liam heartlessly reduced his mother to tears when she knocked on his door and asked if he liked her new dress. His cutthroat remarks scandalized Theo, who then had to spend an awkward twenty minutes consoling the woman, promising her she looked beautiful in anything she wore. At her dubious look, he admitted that the dress itself was hideous, but it had nothing to do with her, just the colorblind designer. She gave him a tearful smile, kissing his cheek, and made him promise to fix whatever trouble Liam had gotten himself into this time.   

 

After first period, Theo headed to his locker, frowning when at the opposite end of the hall, he saw a junior girl whose name wasn’t important enough to remember talking to Liam.

 

“Do you think Theo would say yes if I asked him to the Sadie Hawkins dance?” she asked nervously, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Confused, he squinted a bit as if that would help him remember if he’d ever spoken one word to this girl before.

 

Repeating her question to himself in his head, dread filled his stomach at the endless possibilities of how Liam could respond. He quickened his pace, hoping to intervene before the claws flew.

 

The beta maliciously cackled, startling the people walking by.

 

“That’s fucking hilarious, Chloe.” Liam wiped a stray tear from his eye. “Like you’re even on his radar? Girl bye.”

 

She stormed off, distraught, a group of girls following in her wake after glaring at Liam.

 

“Dude,” Theo growled, placing his hand on Liam’s chest and pushing him back into the row of lockers. “That was fucking harsh.”

 

“All I said was the truth,” he bit back, jutting his chin out as he tilted his head back to meet Theo’s gaze.

 

“Yeah?” he sneered, unsure why he cared so much about how Liam treated some random girl. He knows it isn’t the boy’s fault, but his rudeness is what got him into trouble in the first place. “What would you say if I asked you to the dance, then?”

 

Liam bit his lip so hard it bled, but the words tumbled out of his mouth anyways.

 

“I’d say yes!” He squeaked at the end of his confession, his heartbeat completely steady. The putrid smell of his distress made Theo involuntary step back, dropping the hand from his chest as he gave the boy a confused look.

 

Finally free, the beta sprinted through the school doors, heading in the opposite direction of his next class. Theo spotted one of the twins watching the interaction from the end of the hall, giving him a sly wink before entering a nearby classroom.

 

Liam texted him twenty minutes later.

 

_Spending rest of the day with phone off in my room_

_Plz make excuse to my parents, especially mom_

_For the love of all that is holy… ur truck, please don’t try to talk to me until 2morrow_

 

Theo originally thought Liam was hit with some sort of truth spell, but now he was starting to think the curse was designed to also hurt the person who asked him a question. There was no way in Hell (which Theo had been to, so he considers himself a bit of an expert), that the beta would agree to attend the Sadie Hawkins dance with him.  

 

Annoyed because the jokes were starting to take a darker turn, revenge consumed every second of Theo’s thoughts for the remainder of the school day, but he was having trouble thinking of a suitable but non-confrontational way of getting the truth..

 

Inspiration struck from the unlikeliest of sources in his seventh period class.

 

“I’d wreck anyone who touched my truck,” some idiot jock was telling his other dumb jock friends. Theo didn’t know the guy’s name first name because all his friends called him Hartford, but the entire school was aware he drove the gigantic black truck with silver flames and monster truck sized tires. Mostly because he took up two parking spots which pissed off any student who was late and searching for a space.

 

“What if it was a girl?” Theo butt-in, plot forming in his mind.

 

“Doesn’t matter,” the guy swore. “If you fuck with the truck, you’re gonna get fucked up.”

 

Without Liam there to occupy his time after school, Theo drove to the Dread Doctors’ lab to grab a few things needed for his plan to succeed.

 

Liam reappeared from his self-imposed imprisonment Friday morning, wearily approaching Theo in the kitchen as he sipped his morning coffee.

 

“How do I look today?” he asked, smirk on his face as he spun in a slow circle, deliberately flexing his glutes in his tight black jeans, the material sculpting his backside to perfection.

 

“You look like you gained fifteen pounds and are working on your dad bod,” Liam remarked, heart skipping a beat. He let out a whoop of joy at the lie, doing a cute little victory dance around the kitchen that brought a smile to Theo’s face. “How bout dat.”

 

Rolling his eyes, Theo tossed him a muffin, Liam catching it swiftly from the air before taking a seat at the breakfast bar. “It’s a high protein muffin. I’m experimenting with different flavors, but that banana nut one seems to be the best so far.”

 

Liam gingerly bit into the muffin (wary after Theo’s first attempt at baking went awry), eyes closing in satisfaction, a low moan escaping as he chewed happily. “This is sooo good, T. How bout dat.”

 

“You can stop saying that,” Theo frowned. Liam loved quoting the Cash Me Outside girl when people weren’t expecting it, but his excessive use of it was grating on Theo’s nerves today.

 

“I’m trying to. How bout dat.” Liam wearily rested his head on the table, groaning in frustration.

 

Theo laughed loudly at the beta’s predicament, dodging an attempted punch to his shoulder when he walked passed the boy on his way to the front door.

 

“Okay, just try not to talk for the rest of the day, and it’ll be fine,” Theo noted. Hopefully, the chimera would resolve the issue _before_ the end of the day, but for his plan to work, it was imperative the beta remained unaware of it.

 

On Fridays, they didn’t workout in the morning, so by the time they pulled into the parking lot, the school was bustling with activity.

 

“I’ve got something to take care of, I’ll catch up with you,” Theo promised, ignoring the questioning look from his friend.

 

He patiently waited in the truck while the area cleared out. Listening for the sound of stray heartbeats, Theo played a game on his phone until he was confident he was alone in the parking lot before beginning step one of his plan.

 

Pulling out the cylindrical syringe he slid under his seat yesterday, he located a bulging vein on the crease of his elbow and positioned the long needle over it. Injecting himself with a solution recovered from the Dread Doctors’ lab, he shivered at the sensation of invisibility taking over. The solution allowed him about twenty minutes of full, uncontrollable invisibility (meaning he’d remain invisible until it wore off, unable to shift back and forth like Corey could). It was something he played around with a lot as a young teen growing up with the Dread Doctors, but he stopped when the Geneticist warned too many injections could permanently damage his DNA.

 

Grabbing an uniquely shaped key from his pocket, he slid out of his truck, heading over to the oversized monster-truck-wannabe parked a few spaces over. On one door, he drew “SS” for the Skinner Sisters, and on the driver side door, he scrawled “Hartford Does Roids Cuz He’s A Small Bitch.”

 

Silently laughing to himself, Theo opened the tube of a different solution, spreading it evenly over the words key’d into the truck, careful to keep the solution off his skin. Settling into the indentation of the lettering, the solution made the word only be visible to the owner of the truck. He wasn’t sure why the Geneticist ever invented something like that, but he had an inkling it was due to her love of playing practical jokes on the Surgeon and Pathologist. She’d easily give the Skinner Sisters a run for their money in the field of pranking.

 

Theo finished, gently setting the empty syringe under the seat of his truck and made his way into the school. He waited in the bathroom until he was completely visible and then strolled casually into his first period, apologizing to his teacher for his tardiness.

 

Taking a seat in the back of the class next to Hartford, he ignored the confused glances of his peers because he _always_ sat in front.

 

“Dude, what happened to your truck?” he asked, lacing his voice with concern.

 

“What do you mean, Raeken?” the guy demanded, sitting up straight and looking out the window….despite the fact that their window faced the tennis courts and not the senior parking lot.

 

“There’s some words written on it….” he trailed off uncomfortably. “You might want to go check it out, and then I’ll tell you what I saw.”

 

The footballer played right into Theo’s hands, storming out in the middle of the lecture to sprint to the parking lot. He returned, red faced and huffing for breath, bouldering his way through the crowded rows to return to his seat.

 

“What do you know?” he growled, making Theo almost smirk in satisfaction.

 

“I’ll tell you, but remember, you didn’t hear anything from me.” Theo conspiratorially leaned closer, mouth only inches from Hartford’s ear. “And if I find out you ratted on me…well, I’m sure you’ve heard the rumors about me.”

 

Theo wasn’t a religious man, but he thanked any deity that would listen that only five more minutes remained of the class.

 

When the bell rang, Hartford and his posse followed Theo to his locker where he promised the enraged boy he’d find one of the twins. To Hartford, it didn’t matter which girl he confronted, because they were “basically the same person,” making them equally guilty. Theo prayed to whoever would listen that everything went smoothly, and Liam played the part of the knight in shining armor Theo expected him to.

 

Spotting the beta already patiently waiting for him at his locker, relief washed over him, and he gave the boy a small smile. The beta smiled back, but his eyes filled with confusion after noticing the angry football player lingering behind him. Honing his senses in on the earthy scent of the Skinner sisters, Theo smelled one of them striding towards them, wholly unaware of the trap he set.

 

Knocking his elbow into the football player next to him, Theo inclines his head towards Twin 2, the small girl now visible after turning the corner

 

The football player nods sharply, leaving Theo’s side and aggressively pushing the twin into a locker once she moved within reach.

 

“What the hell!” she cries, face paling at the unexpected attack from the burly boy. Her heart is beating wildly, and the hall fills with the scent of her shock and unease.

 

Theo flinches internally, guilt flooding his veins until he remembers her and her sister have been needlessly terrorizing Liam all week. It was their fault he needed to resort back to his previous manipulative schemes to get them to lay off.

 

“Why did you fuck with my truck?” Hartford growls, no longer touching the girl but using his body to ward off an escape route.

 

“I don’t know who you are, and I definitely don’t know what you drive,” she shrieked, grey eyes clouded with fear. Her attacker stood over a foot taller than her, and the top of her head barely reached his shoulder.

 

She scanned the surrounding area, likely searching for her sister or a teacher to intervene, but Theo has it on good authority Twin 1 wouldn't be showing up (aka he charmed Principal Martin’s secretary into letting him wait alone for the woman in her office so he could discuss some idea he had to improve school spirit and verified Twin 1 would be across campus during this time period).

 

The students in the hall were gaping at the scene, forming a half circle around Twin 2 and Hartword. No one moved to interfere, terrified at becoming the next target of Hartford’s notorious rage.

 

Theo sneaked a glance at Liam standing stiffly next to him, their backs pressed against the lockers opposite from the altercation. The beta’s glaring at Hartford’s back, heart rate steadily spiking, but he’s waiting to see how it all plays out.

 

They haven’t talked much about why weird things keep happening to Liam, but perhaps he’s begun assuming the Skinner sisters are responsible for the latest mishaps befalling him. Or, he might be concerned he’ll once again become the target of bullies for his supernatural abilities like he was a few months ago.

 

Hartford painfully grabs her tiny wrist, twisting it in his huge palm as he sneers at her. “Don’t lie to me, you bitch! I know what you did, and who else would engrave SS on my door?”

 

Narrowing her eyes at the insult, Twin 2 tilts her head back in defiance, shaking her arm roughly until he lets go.

 

“Listen carefully you buffoon. I. Did. Not. Touch. Your. Truck. Do you understand? Or should I spell it out for you?”

 

Multiple people gasp after she finishes speaking, someone in the group shouting, “You go girl!” resulting in a few students giggling. Their laughter abruptly stops when Hartford impulsively reels his hand back, striking it forward intent on slapping the girl.

 

Theo darts to intercept, annoyed at the twins, but unwilling to watch them get physically assaulted, especially in front of half the school. Before he can reach the football player, Liam bulldozes through the crowd, ripping Hartford’s hand out of the air before it can make contact with the girl.

 

The beta wrenches the boy’s arm behind his back, Theo hearing the audible pop of Hartford’s shoulder coming out of its socket. He shoves the football player face first into the locker, roughly pressing his cheek against the cool metal.

 

“Real men don’t put their hands on women,” he growls, claws from one hand poking holes in Hartford’s shirt and the other resting against the pinned arm, a silent reminder of what Liam was truly capable of.

 

Theo recalled Liam mentioning his biological dad used to hit his mom, and one thing the beta couldn’t stand is the idea of a man putting his hands on a woman. Theo’s ashamed to say he used that knowledge in his plan, counting on Liam to come to the rescue of a girl being bullied by a much larger guy.

 

“I’m sorry!” the boy cried, a drastic change from his previous demeanor. “Please let me go, I swear I’ll leave her alone.”

 

Theo notes the “her” instead of “them,” a fact the beta seemed to pick up on as well if his loud growl was anything to go by.

 

Tears leak from Hartford’s eyes as the pressure on his face increases. “Okay fine, I’ll leave _them_ alone!”

 

Liam doesn’t let up, though, and Theo smelled the coppery scent of blood leaking from Hartford’s forehead. It reminded him of Gabe in the locker room when Liam confronted him about shooting up Scott’s house, filling Theo with an array of uncomfortable emotions he couldn’t even begin to name.

 

Sensing her sister in danger, Twin 1 sprints through the corridor, shoving her way through the students still crowding around the unusual group.

 

“What’s going on?” she demands, glaring at everyone as she observes the scene, wrapping her shaking sister in a tight hug.

 

“He just attacked her for no reason!” one female student speaks up. “And Liam stopped him from punching her in the face. It was so brave.”

 

Well... that was a bit of an exaggeration, and Theo wasn’t too thrilled with the way the random girl was making heart eyes at Liam, but all in all, it worked in his favor.

 

“Is this true?” Twin One asked her sister, and really, Theo should probably figure out their names at this point, but they were identical and had similar names so...Twin 1 and Twin 2 fit nicely.  

 

Twin Two nods, and the sisters seem to have a full conversation just by staring at each other and making a few indistinct sounds.Theo added “twin witches being telepathic” to his mental list of projects to research.

 

“You can let him go,” Twin Two directed, standing shoulder to shoulder with her sister. “I’m _sure_ he learned his lesson, or at least he will later.”

 

Theo sensed the ominous promise in her words.

 

The beta made no move to let Hartford go, if anything, pushing the boy harder into the locker, eliciting a pained moan from the football player. Theo stepped closer, cautiously placing his hand on Liam’s shoulder, fully aware he was having a difficult time maintaining control and not wolfing out in the middle of the hallway. He felt the tenseness in the boy’s shoulder, and although he couldn’t see Liam’s face, he’d bet his normally blue eyes were golden.

 

“Hey,” he murmurs soothingly, voice low so only Liam can hear. “She said she’s okay. You can let him go.”

 

The beta growled, words garbled slightly by the fangs in his mouth. “He tried to hit her, Theo. That’s inexcusable.”

 

Using his nimble fingers, Theo massaged one of the knots in Liam’s shoulder. “I know, Little Wolf, but I’m one hundred percent confident these girls can look after themselves now that they’re back together.”

 

“Yeah?” Liam asks, still facing away from Theo,

 

Theo nods, before remembering the beta can’t see him. “They make a formidable force.”

 

Theo paused, listening as Liam’s heart rate slowly decreased, the boy taking a few deep breaths before he responds.

 

“Like us?” the beta asks more clearly, fangs receding back into his mouth.

 

Theo’s heart skips a beat at the comment, thrilled Liam verbally acknowledged how great of a team they make together.

 

“Exactly like us.”

 

Liam released the football player, the brawny boy straightening himself to his full height and brushing invisible debris off his clothes. Hartford turns around, hunching his shoulders in a futile attempt to make himself appear smaller the moment he makes eye contact with a still scowling Liam.

 

“What’s all this nonsense?!” Coach Finstock barked at the remaining students, pushing through the much smaller crowded.

 

He peered suspiciously around the eclectic group. Hartford looked disheveled with puffy red eyes and a small cut on his forehead, dried blood stuck uncomfortably to the side of his face. The twins enveloped one another in an embrace, standing a bit further away from the boys. Theo and Liam were standing close together, the chimera’s arm casually tossed over Liam’s shoulder, the beta angling his body into Theo’s.  

 

Comforted by the presence of a teacher, Hartford points an accusing finger at the twins. “One of them key’d my truck!”  

 

Coach Finstock frowns disappointingly at the twins. “Defacing a man’s truck is a pretty grievous offense.” Hartford nods in agreement. “What idiotic thing did he do to deserve it?”

 

“Coach!” Hartford cries, glaring at the man.

 

“Sorry, sorry,” Coach Finstock sighs. “Innocent until proven guilty, I guess. Let’s all go take a look at it since you’re clearly terrible students intent on missing third period.”

 

“I actually really need to get to class,” Theo lies. “I’ve got a test.”

 

He had study hall, but only Liam knew that.

 

“And I really need to study my lacrosse plays,” Liam claims, the chimera proud of his beta’s swift lie.

 

Coach nods approvingly at Liam. “Yes, go do that, Mini Scott. I am very proud, you’re quite the upgrade from McCall. And you,” he turns to Theo. “You’re a huge disappointment and embarrassment. Whenever you decide to become a real man, we have a spot for you on the lacrosse team.”

 

Theo thanks the man, rolling his eyes the second he turned around, roughly shoving Liam into a row of lockers, the beta laughing the entire way to the library.

The Skinner Sisters cornered Liam after school, asking him to walk with them to their car. Theo stuck close by his side, glaring at the twins in response to their simultaneously arched eyebrows at his appearance. He intended to make sure the beta didn’t offend them again in the clueless way he was prone to. Plus he didn’t completely trust them, either, regardless of the success of his plan.

 

The twins apologized profusely for cursing the beta, explaining how his lack of concern when he knocked into them made them both decide he needed to be taught a lesson. Theo resisted face palming at the beta’s shocked expression when they revealed they were behind the series of unfortunate events.

 

Apparently, it never once crossed his mind that the girls he rudely crashed into on the same day would be the ones responsible for his misfortunes, _despite_ the fact his troubles started the very next day, and _despite_ the fact there were covens of magical beings staying in Beacon Hills for the remainder of the month. Theo _really_ needed his baby beta to work on his observation skills. And his critical thinking skills. And his penchant for offending aggressive girls.

 

The girls swore they’d cease their attacks on Liam, even going as far as to claim they owed him a favor for his chivalry. Liam grinned, and the three became increasingly friendlier, bonding over their shared love of history. At first, it bothered Theo how close the three were, and he found himself constantly debating if he should confess to Liam how he concocted the whole scheme in Liam’s defense in an attempt to curry favor (pathetic, he knew, but he wanted to be the sole focus of Liam’s attention, especially now that Mason and Corey were spending most of their time together and away from Liam).

 

But when the chimera joked that Liam better figure out which girl was which incase he asked the wrong girl on a date, the beta scrunched his face up in disgust, claiming they were like annoying cousins to him, and he’s so _not_ into the whole “date your first cousin” thing like those two people they watched in an episode of My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding. Theo smiled in appreciation upon realizing Liam avoided the use of the word “sister”.


	4. Chapter 4

Theo provided a brief recap of Liam’s struggles with the twin witches, skating over his personal involvement in the Hartford debacle but mentioned how Hartford ended up spending a week in the psych unit of the hospital after having a breakdown when no one else could see the words written on his truck. In the middle of the story, Melissa kindly brought an extra chair from the kitchen to him, placing it against the wall he’d been leaning against.

 

Upon concluding the long winded story (Theo may have spent longer than necessary describing each curse, Liam surprisingly silent through the whole thing) he scans the room, observing the differing facial expressions of the pack.

 

Scott remained seated on the couch, clearly sulking, Theo assuming he was upset his little beta never confided in the Alpha he was being bullied...again. 

 

Lydia’s gaze was calculating, plump red lips pressed into a tight-line, her eyes squinting at Theo like he was a particularly difficult calculation she was solving, and hm...that probably didn’t bode well for him. He succeeds (barely) in avoiding squirming under her intense scrutiny, flicking his eyes to Corey and Mason. 

 

The beta’s closest friends looked shocked as he described the various curses casted on Liam, and Theo smelled their concern coupled with guilt. They knew Liam and the Skinner Sisters were relatively good friends, but apparently the beta never informed them of the backstory preceding their unusual friendship.

 

Phone in hand, Stiles was rapidly texting and had been since Theo began his story, fully ignoring Lydia’s sharp glare at his inattentiveness.

 

Theo saves the best for last, greedily drinking in the sight of the boy he’s grown to care for as more than just a friend. He’s barely seen the boy all week, a fact that’s frayed his nerves and made him excessively grumpy during that time frame.

 

The beta’s eyes were downcast as he stares at his shoes, hands clasped side by side on his lap in tight fists. Theo could see the tense set of his shoulders and the deep frown of his lips, but the boy’s eyes were covered by the long hair veiling his face. Theo effortlessly smelled the swirl of emotions Liam had yet to learn to hide, predominately the harsh stench of his anger, but more confusingly, his hurt.      

 

“Damnit Stiles, who are you texting?!” the redheaded Banshee demands, breaking the tense silence engulfing the room. Stiles briefly glances up at her before turning his attention back to his phone.

 

“Oh, just Derek,” he responds nonchalantly, waving his free hand in dismissal. “He’s at the loft, writing a book. Figured this TLC type drama would be good material for him. It’s the perfect amount of angst and unrequited love to fill his sourwolf heart.”  

 

“Stiles,” Scott chides, glancing up at Liam to see his reaction. 

 

To the untrained eye, Liam doesn’t move a muscle, but Theo notices his clenched jaw and the sound of Liam grinding his teeth together in annoyance. 

 

“Please show some consideration.”

 

The chimera rolls his eyes at the human and Scott’s ineffective babying of Liam, uninterested in Stiles’s creepy flirting with the older werewolf.

 

“Wow…” Mason dazedly remarks, returning everyone’s attention to the issue at hand. “Intense, man. Why didn’t you tell us, Liam? Corey and I could have helped.”

 

Lifting his head, Liam sent his friend an apologetic smile before twisting back around to glower at Theo.

 

“Because it was embarrassing, and I had it under control,” he growls, blue eyes bright with rage. 

 

Theo rolls his eyes, unimpressed with the boy’s dramatics. So he got cursed by some dumb kid witches? Who cares?

 

Scott was full on puppy dog pouting now, an expression Theo found cute on Liam but stupid and childish on the Alpha. “You could have told me, Liam. I know I’m away at school, but I can always take time to help you. Or just listen if you want to vent.”

 

“That’s what I said,” Theo mutters under his breath, the beta, of course, completely ignoring him.

 

Liam huffs in agitation. “It was really no big deal guys, like I said, I had it under control.”

 

The annoyance Theo felt over the past week at Liam distancing himself from him, coupled with the anger he has towards the Skinner Sisters for cursing both Liam and Claire suddenly explodes to the surface.

 

“Oh my fucking god, Liam, can you just listen to yourself for one second, please?”

 

He begins pacing across the living room, ignoring the feeling of multiple pairs of eyes tracking his every move, the pack, Liam included, stunned at the sight of the normally stoic boy losing control. Even Stiles has stopped texting to listen. 

 

“If I remember correctly, which I do because my memory is flawless, you most certainly did not have it under control. You didn’t even realize you were cursed until I pointed it out!”

 

“Jesus, you guys need your own trashy reality show,” Stiles whispers in awe, leaning forward to raptly watch the proceedings.

 

Theo stops his pacing a few feet in front of the recliner Liam still occupied, his arms crossed as he glares down at the boy, waiting for his response.

 

“Okay, so? It’s not like you had any idea who was behind it,” Liam sneers, shooting out of his seat to stand almost nose to nose with the chimera (though the shorter boy’s nose reaches Theo’s chin). Theo could count every tiny freckle on Liam’s cheeks, his warm breath ghosting over the chimera’s skin. His fury was the only thing keeping him from zoning out over the beta’s luscious lips, instead bringing his eyes up to meet Liam’s stormy gaze. 

 

“I KNEW IT WAS THEM FROM DAY ONE!” Theo yells, Liam wincing in pain at the thunderous sound so close to his sensitive ears, but the stubborn boy steadfastly refuses to step back.

 

Melissa begins scuttling around the room, loading her arms full of breakables to move them into a safer place in the kitchen.    

 

“Alright, so, congratulations, you figured it out on your own.” Liam mockingly throws his hands up as if to say, ‘fucking good for you.’ “But you still didn’t do anything about it.”

 

Theo’s mouth parts in shock, doubting his genetically enhanced senses for once in his lifetime. Now that Theo’s informed Liam he knew it was the Skinner Sisters all along (okay, assumed, but his educated guesses are typically spot on), there’s no conceivable way Liam thinks Theo wouldn’t act on that information. He had to have  _ some  _ sense that Theo would protect the beta at all costs. How many times did he almost die for the boy between the Ghosts Hunters and the Anuk-ite? Why would he be willing to die for the idiot, but not defend him from twin bitchy witches?

 

“How dense are you? Seriously? How have you made it this far in life?”

 

Liam bristles at Theo’s awed tone, low growl building in his chest, but he keeps his fists pinned at his sides. “Fuck you, Theo.”

 

Theo rolls his eyes at the pathetic come back. “Do you really think I’d let somebody bully you? For fucks sake, Liam, I’ve risked my life  _ multiple _ times to keep you alive, why would I just stand by and watch while witches curse you day after day?”

 

Liam frowns, doubt filling his eyes, but Theo can tell he’s still not convinced.

 

“What exactly do you mean, Theo?” Lydia calmly asks, examining her nails disinterestedly, but Theo knows by her previous calculating expression the brilliant Banshee was only feigning apathy.

 

“Because I set the whole thing up!” he roaringly confesses, voice only minimally lower than before, but thoroughly unable to contain his frustration at the situation. “Do you really think it was just a coincidence that Hartford was accusing one of the Skinner sisters of fucking with his truck? Like, doesn’t that seem pretty fucking random, Liam? They don’t interact at all. Did you  _ really _ think it was a coincidence that you were right there to intervene?”

 

“I don’t believe you,” Liam states obstinately, crossing his arms and arrogantly jutting his chin out as he glares at the chimera. “You’re just saying that to make yourself look better.”

 

Theo snorts, bitterly laughing at the accusation. “Wow, okay, sure. You want the full story?”

 

The chimera doesn’t allow Liam a chance to respond before he launches into his tale, hearing Stiles shout, “I’m answering ‘yes’ on my son’s behalf!”

 

“I had a feeling it was the Skinner Sisters, partially due to how uneasy they made me feel, but I had no concrete proof. And since you were such a pompous little shit to them, I assumed the only way they’d back off is if you performed some heroic deed on their behalf. So, I keyed his truck and wiped some invisibility solution on it the Dread Doctors designed, which allowed only the owner of the truck to see it. Then, I went into first period and told Hartford someone fucked with his car, and I saw one of the Skinner sisters doing it. I knew one of them had a class to next to our lockers second period, and you always meet me there, so I led him there and the rest is history.”

 

Liam’s mouth opens and closes, the beta unable to find the right words to express how he feels at the confession. “What?” he stammers, blue eyes impossibly wide and heart beating rapidly in his chest. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

 

Theo shrugs, trying to brush it off. “It wasn’t important. I didn’t want to risk them finding out it was a set-up and go back to tormenting you.”

 

“That’s a pretty big gamble,” Lydia notes, head tilted to the side, once again appearing to analyze him. This time, he steadily holds her gaze, unwilling to bow in the face of her challenge. He wasn’t sure how he felt at revealing the truth to the beta...and everyone else in the room, but he refuses to allow any of them to try and shame him for the choice he made.   

 

He shrugs. “Risk was greater than the reward.” She gives him a small smile and a slight nod of approval.

 

Lips set in a frown, Liam regains his ability to speak. “This still doesn’t help find my cat.”

 

“Or help get Claire her powers back,” Theo adds, tucking his hands into the pockets of his hoodie. He’s fairly confident Liam’s not about to him him anymore, so he doesn’t need them right by his side to defend himself...again. 

 

“Nobody cares about your stupid girlfriend!” Liam shrewdly screeches, childishly stamping his foot in frustration. Theo flinches at the piercing sound, removing a hand from his pocket to rub at his ear in an attempt to stop the ringing in it. “I want Princess Lea back, and I want her back NOW.”

 

Before anyone can react, Liam’s rage shifts to anguish, and he bursts into tears, fat water droplets spilling down his face. Theo’s heart breaks at the pitiful sight, and he engulfs the beta in fierce hug, crushing the boy’s face into his shoulder. Despite the strain in their friendship over the last week, Liam doesn’t pull back, moving around to tuck his face into Theo’s neck. Theo whispers calming words into the boy’s ear, utterly destroyed by the sound of Liam’s gut wrenching sobs, though confused by what caused them. Has he really grown that attached to a cat in a week? And what’s with this comment about Claire being his girlfriend? He thought Liam knew Claire was a lesbian….

 

Nobody else in the room moves, afraid to do or say the wrong thing to set the boy off again in a fit of rage.

 

Eventually, Liam’s sobs cease, and Theo gently backs him up, turning the two of them around while still maintaining the embrace He carefully sits in the recliner Liam’s previously occupied, pulling the beta neatly onto his lap. The younger boy shifts around until he’s comfortable, criss-crossing his feet in Theo’s lap. The chimera’s arms circle around Liam’s waist, and the beta tucks his face back into Theo’s neck, lightly running his nose across Theo’s skin.

 

“Can you tell us more about Princess Lea?” Scott asks softly, not wanting to upset the boy but knowing they needed more information if they were going to find her. “When did you get her?”

 

Liam sniffs, moving his face away from Theo’s neck so he could talk. Theo pulls the sleeve of his hoodie over his hand, carefully grabbing Liam’s chin and tilting his face to the left and right, using the sleeve to dry the tears staining the boy’s face. Liam gives him a small, watery smile in thanks that Theo returns.

 

“I was walking home after practice on Monday,” Liam begins, voice slightly raspy from crying. “And this orange and white Maine Coon came out from behind the dumpsters near the parking lot. I gave her a small piece of beef jerky, and she kept following me. So I ran home, thinking she’d lose interest, but ten minutes after I got home, I heard scratching at the front door, and when I opened it, there she was.”   
  
Theo bites his tongue so hard he can taste blood spilling from it, but it prevents him from yelling at the beta about how suspicious the whole situation seemed. No cat was going to track someone for miles just because they gave it a little beef jerky.

 

“She didn’t have a collar, so I called the shelter to see if anyone reported a missing cat, and they said they’d call me back if anyone did. So all week, she’s been with me from morning through the night, except when I’m at school or practice. But when I got home from practice today, she wasn’t here. I tried to track her, but her scent stops right at the end of my driveway, as if she disappeared into thin air.”

 

“Or someone drove by and cat-napped her,” Stiles points out, unhelpfully. Liam gasps in horror, and Theo glares over Liam’s shoulder at the human, beginning to run his fingers up and down Liam’s back in a soothing motion.

 

Stiles’s smirk drops from his face as Lydia painfully smacks his shoulder.

 

“Ow! That was funny,” Stiles petulantly replies, sticking his tongue out at the girl next to him.    

 

“I’m confused,” Lydia comments, ignoring Stiles. “You mean to tell me,” she points to Liam. “You found a cat a week ago.” She then points to Theo. “And your friend, a  _ werecat _ , lost her powers today, the same day your cat goes missing. And neither of you find this suspicious?” Lydia’s expression clearly communicates she thinks they’re  _ both _ idiots. 

 

Theo tries to disregard the piercing pain in his stolen heart at the reminder Liam’s been ignoring him all week. “I didn’t know he even had a cat,” Theo spits at the Banshee, expression blank. “And as far as I know, she can’t do a full shift.”

 

“Have you asked?” Lydia questions disapprovingly, already knowing the answer.  

 

Theo guiltily shifts his eyes away from her judgmental glare.

 

The chimera understands where Lydia is coming from, though. After hearing the two stories side-by-side, he reluctantly agrees it all seems suspicious. But he trusts Claire. Not as much as Liam, but he’s slowly opening up to the quirky werecat. Why would she do a full-shift and allow Liam to adopt her? That was fairly creepy and insanely invasive. 

 

Scott shoots the beta a confused look. “I thought you said Theo was the most familiar with Princess Lea?”

 

Liam shrugs. “I never said that. You asked, Corey and Mason nodded, and I didn’t correct you. Only Corey and Mason have met her.”

 

The Alpha frowns thoughtfully. “Why not? Theo really liked cats when we were kids.”

 

He cringes at the mention of his past...mostly because he remembers his obsession with cats in first grade and his excitement after his neighbor asked his family to watch her kitten for a week while she was on vacation. At that point, his parents were convinced he was going to be the male version of a crazy cat lady. Ironically, long term exposure to cats aggravated his asthma, and he lost interest in the furry demons after that. 

 

Theo waits the bated breath, wondering how the beta would answer. He’s curious, too, about why Liam was suddenly unable to find time to hangout with him. They saw each other in passing at school, but Liam always came up with some excuse to not see him after school.

 

“Theo’s been too busy with Claire to hangout with me.” The smaller boy stiffens in his lap, and Theo rolls his eyes behind Liam’s back at the animosity pouring from his voice.

 

“I was busy one night!” Theo cries, tightening his arms around the boy when Liam makes to get up. “And then you avoided me ever since.” 

 

“Yeah, but you ditched me for  _ her _ ,” Liam grumbles.

 

Lydia frowns. “Don’t you two live together?”

 

After the Anuk-ite, Liam eventually figured out that Theo was living out of his car and sent his mother, who adored Theo, to guilt him into moving into their spare bedroom. 

 

“I’ve been house sitting for Claire since last Monday. She went to visit her family in Michigan, and she’s got a fuck ton of plants, three cats, and a dog, so it was easier just to stay there. She got back in town today,” Theo explains to the group.

 

Liam invited him to come over on Wednesday afternoon to hang out when his lacrosse practice got cancelled due to Coach having to go to the hospital after setting his hand on fire during a lesson on the economic impact of uncontrolled wildfires. 

 

The two boys quickly grew accustomed to living together, seeking comfort in the sound of the other’s heartbeat in the next room, sometimes sharing a bed when one of them had a nightmare. But, Theo attended weekly meetings on Wednesday evenings, a fact he easily hiding from the beta who had lacrosse practice until 7:00 PM, the chimera swinging by the school after his meeting to pick Liam up. 

 

“How do you even know this ‘Claire’ if that’s even her real name?” Stiles questions, not even bothering to look up as his fingers once again fly across his phone, typing a mile a minute to Derek.

 

Liam glances up, eyes narrowed at Theo, a small blush spreading across the chimera’s cheeks at the scrutiny. Anytime the beta asked, Theo would brush off his inquiry, mumbling something about how he met her around town. Eventually, the boy stopped asking, but the smell of his annoyance permeated the room anytime she came up in conversation (which, wasn’t often, because Theo may not understand why he doesn’t like his friend, but he’s not dumb enough to mention her unless absolutely necessary).

 

Theo met Claire about a month ago in a supernatural support group Melissa recommended he attend, the chimera sitting by her one evening when he was a few minutes late to the meeting, and it was the only seat open. The girl overheard his agitated sigh as another group member began to complain about her human boyfriend  _ again _ , Claire shooting him an amused and understanding smirk. The meeting ended early due to the group leader having a family emergency (her heart beat remained steady, but Theo strongly believed she was just tired of hearing the Fairy’s boyfriend drama), and Claire and Theo walked to their cars together, making awkward small talk along the way. 

 

Pulling out a piece of paper from her pocket, she jotted her number down without him asking, adding, “You’re 1000% not my type, but here’s my number anyways because you seem like a cool dude.”

 

Theo laughed, relieved, because she wasn’t his type either (basically, she wasn’t Liam) and didn’t want to deal with accidentally breaking her heart and then having to find a new supernatural support group ten towns over because everything was awkward as fuck.

 

Instead, he gasped in faux-shock. “But, I thought I was everyone’s type?”

 

She giggled, smacking him in the shoulder with a hit that surprisingly stung. “Unless you’ve got a vagina tucked in those tight little jeans of yours, it’s a no-go for me, babe.”

 

From there, they became fast friends, the werecat’s wry sense of humor meshing perfectly with his sarcastic demeanor, and she provided a good distraction from his hopeless crush on Liam. The slightly older girl worked as a waitress in an upscale restaurant, making excellent tips from the wealthy customers who adored her friendliness and down to earth attitude. Claire encouraged Theo to apply for colleges across the state, claiming he was “way too fucking smart” to stay in Beacon Hills, but she assured the chimera she’d get him a job at the restaurant once he graduated high school if he made the “terrible fucking decision” to stay in Beacon Hills. Because of their differing schedules, their friendship was mostly through text messages, silly snapchats, and the occasional Facetime chat. The few times they hung out was spent in companionable silence in her house, Theo lounging on her plush couch reading novels and doing his homework while the werecat “wrecked noobs” on some Xbox game.

 

Naturally, because that was the way his life worked, she caught on to his feelings for the beta long before he introduced the two, sneakily reading a text over his shoulder to find out why he was “making heart eyes at his phone all the time”. Claire harassed him for a week about meeting his “little crush,” begging to be introduced to the boy who “made him look like a lovesick fool starring in a Nicholas Sparks movie.” 

 

In retrospect, he probably should have mentioned to Liam he made a new friend  _ before _ introducing the two, because the beta was completely taken by surprise when he came home one Saturday from his run with Claire in tow. He quickly overcame it, though,  rudely grilling Claire about everything from how they met, to where she was born, to what she did for a living, to how she felt about Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez dating again, even going as far to ask how she felt about Florida considering a permanent Daylight Savings Time. 

 

The werecat, bless her heart, answered each question instride, absolutely giddy by the time Theo managed to make a poor excuse to leave, claiming he thought he left the oven on at Claire’s.

 

“I love him,” she proclaimed upon returning to the safety of Theo’s truck, baffling the chimera. He assumed maybe it was just a girl thing he’d never understand.

 

A knock on the back door saves Theo from having to answer, the sound reverberating through the silent house. Scott’s face scrunched in confusion, turning to his mom who just shrugged at him, neither expecting visitors. 

 

Liam checked his phone, quickly reading a message and tucking the device back into his pocket before Theo could peek over his shoulder to read it.

 

The beta jumps up, Theo instantly missing the warmth of their embrace.

 

“I’ll get it!” Liam calls, already halfway to the door. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who has reviewed! I appreciate your feedback and love hearing your thoughts. We're almost to the end :)
> 
>  
> 
> For anyone who reads my other two stories, they'll be updated in the next few days!


	5. Chapter 5

Liam opens the door, releasing an ear-piercing shriek that has both Theo and Scott holding their ears, the two bolting to the beta.

 

“Oh my god,” Liam sobs, but Theo smells the happiness exuding from him, slowing his pounding heart down as he recognizes there isn’t a threat befalling his anchor.

 

When Theo enters the room, he smiles softly at the sight of Liam sitting cross-legged on the floor, a giant orange and white Maine Coon curled in his lap, the cat’s thick fur absorbing the few tears still spilling down his face. Liam’s whispering unintelligible words to the cat and making soft cooing sounds, scratching the cat behind its triangular orange ears. The cat closed its gleaming green eyes in contentment, the sound of her purring echoing through the quiet room.

 

His smile drops, however, when he sees the Skinner sisters standing in the doorway, one giving him a smug smirk and the other a covert wink. Twin 2 is holding a similar looking orange and white cat, slightly smaller than Princess Lea and definitely less intelligent looking.

 

Lydia , Mason, Corey, and Stiles join the group in the kitchen, the Banshee squealing in delight at the scene.

 

She gracefully settles herself next to Liam on the floor, looking up at the witches while gently petting the cat. “Where did you find her? And is that her sibling?” she asks, referring to the other cat the witch was holding.

 

The four boys move closer to Liam and Lydia, but Theo remains on the opposite end of the room, uneasily leaning against the wall.

 

“It’s all actually a very interesting story,” Twin 1 comments cryptically. 

 

“How about we all move into the living room where it’s more comfortable?” Melissa asks, coming to stand next to Theo. She places a comforting hand on his shoulder, giving him a reassuring squeeze before grabbing an extra chair from the kitchen to bring into into the living room. 

 

They all settle in a loose circle, Mason, Corey and Lydia on the loveseat, Melissa, Scott, and Stiles on the couch. The twins each sit in a kitchen chair brought into the living room, the second cat curled calmly in Twin 2’s lap, and Theo returns to the recliner. 

 

Liam arrives last, awkwardly standing in the doorway and assessing his seating options, holding the gigantic cat like you would an infant. Theo forlornly stares down at his lap, knowing he’ll be pushed aside now that the buy’s other friends are here, the two witches returning Liam’s cat before Theo even had a chance to look.

 

A throat is cleared in front of him, and Theo jerks his head up in surprise to meet the uncertain blue eyes of the beta.

 

“May we?” he asks, nodding down to the cat to clarify the ‘we’ of his statement.

 

Theo overzealously shakes his head, immediately stopping when he hears Stiles’s snickering, a faint blush forming on his cheeks. Fuck, he was so pathetic.

 

The beta sits down, carefully so as not to jostle the gigantic cat that Theo wouldn’t be surprised to learn was part lion. 

 

“So I guess we should start with introductions,” Scott begins, glancing around at everyone in the room. “I’m Scott, Liam’s Alpha. This is Lydia, Stiles, and my mom.” He points to each person in turn.

 

“I’m Serena,” Twin 2 says, a mischievous smile on her lips than made Theo’s skin crawl. “This is my sister, Skyla. This little guy,” she nods to the cat in her lap, scratching him gently behind its ears, “Is Leo and -.”

 

“And this is Princess Lea!” Liam cuts the girl off, easily holding up the cat in his lap, despite the beast weighing a solid twenty pounds. The happiness is pouring off him in waves, the smell lifting Theo’s spirits slightly, helping to overcome his annoyance that the sisters were still here. 

 

“Not quite...” Skyla trails off, sharing an uncomfortable look with her sister at Liam’s excitement. 

 

Liam shakes his head. “Nope, definitely is, she has this cute little white star pattern in her fur right by her eye.”

 

Theo’s stomach drops, heart filling with dread at the beta’s words.

 

“Can you put her on the ground, please?” Serena kindly asks, and Theo detects a note of sympathy.

 

Because he knows what’s about to happen, and he doesn’t think he’s ready for the fallout.

 

Liam does as the witch commands, confused but implicitly trusting his friend. The beta instructs Princess Lea to sit, gently patting her on the head before returning to his seat on Theo’s lap. Theo wraps his arms back around the boy’s waist, resting his chin on Liam’s shoulder as he watches. 

 

The cat sits placidly on the carpet, a look of resignation on her heart-shaped face. 

 

The twins stand, facing each other and with the cat in the middle. They chant a few words, Theo tuning them out as he closes his eyes, focusing his hearing on the increasing sound of Liam’s heartbeat. 

 

“What are you doing?!” Liam anxiously asks, but Theo lightly tightens his grip around the boy, wordlessly telling him to wait until they’re done and not interrupt.

 

When the sisters stop their spellcasting, Theo hears Mason, Scott’s, and Corey’s shocked gasps, Stiles’s low whistle of surprise, and Liam’s growl, the smell of his anger overwhelming Theo’s nose.

 

He opens his eyes, unsurprised but confused, to see his only other friend sitting elegantly (and thankfully fully clothed) on Scott’s floor, her blue star tattoos visible under the side of each eye.  

 

“What the fuck did you do to my cat, Claire?!” Liam hisses, ripping free from Theo’s hold to stand over the girl.

 

The twins make a pained noise at Liam’s words, Serena unable to resist face palming.

 

Claire gives him a blank look, tilting her body to the side to arch a perfectly sculpted eyebrow at Theo. “Is he serious?”

 

Stiles comes to stand beside Liam, offering a hand to Claire to help her up. “What my son means to say, is why have you been pretending to be a cat and letting him adopt you?”

 

“Stiles,” Scott admonishes, shaking his head. “Please stop referring to Liam as your son.”

 

“Alright, that’s fair,” Stiles nods in agreement. “What  _ our _ son means, is why are you pretending to be his cat?”

 

“She stole my cat!” Liam glares at the girl, having to step back slightly to make eye contact with the taller girl.

 

Scott moves to stand on Liam’s other side, placing an arm around his shoulder. “I think she is your cat,” he carefully explains.

 

Liam fervently shakes his head. “No, that can’t be right. That means she’s seen me naked. And like...I told Princess Lea  _ everything _ .”

 

Theo can smell the scent of embarrassment and see the blush crossing his cheeks, and the chimera finds himself insanely curious as to what secrets he confided in the cat/Claire? Maybe with sufficient bribery...or blackmail...he could get Claire to tell him? A rush of excitement ran through him at the prospect, but it was followed by the increasingly familiar sensation of guilt. It was  _ so _ tempting to harass Claire for the information, but he knew it was wrong of her to betray Liam’s trust in her (even though he didn’t really know it was her at the time).

 

Liam pauses, voice full of contempt. “So what, you’re an Animagus or something?”

 

“I swear I looked away every time you changed,” Claire vehemently promises, heart rate steady. It made Theo feel better to know she wasn’t violating Liam’s privacy in that sense, even though he knew it’d be her curiosity driving her to look and not any romantic or sexual interest. “And wow, seriously, you’re cute and all, but Theo’s way too smart for you. I’m a  _ werecat.  _ Like some werewolves can shift into wolves, I can shift into a cat...” 

 

She flinches back as Liam lunges for her. Theo jumps up to intervene, but Liam bounces off an invisible wall, Scott catching him under the armpits before he can hit the floor 

 

Liam glowers at the witches, Serena’s eyes glowing brighter after casting the spell. “You’re helping her?!” Theo can hear the undertone of hurt over the anger in his voice. “How do you even know each other?!”

 

“We weren’t at first. But the four of us are all in the same support group,” Skyla says, pointing to herself, Serena, Claire, and Theo. 

 

Theo sighs, debating if he should just run out of here before his secret was laid bare, get in his truck, and drive until Beacon Hills was just a distant, traumatic memory.

 

But he knew he’d never leave Liam, even if (when) the boy made it 100% clear he had no romantic interest in Theo.

 

A huge grin crosses Stiles’s face. “Is this like a support group for reformed murderers? Are you guys all part of some former assassin squad? Or is it more like a cult?”

 

“No,” Serena laughs, unable to see Claire and Theo’s grimace. “It’s like group therapy for supernaturals with emotional issues. We,” she points to her sister and herself, “have issues dealing with our anger, as you might have heard. Claire has issues with her family and being a lesbian, since eventually she’s going to be expected to marry a man from another pride to create a new alliance. And of course, produce werecat babies. And Theo, well…you know…” She trails off at Theo’s heated glare, but not before unsubtly looking at Liam.

 

Stiles makes a noise of interest, glancing between Theo, Claire, and the twins thoughtfully. “That’s less exciting than I expected but sounds interesting. Maybe I should tell Derek about it.”

 

“I don’t know who that is,” Serena begins.

 

“But you can give him this card,” Skyla finishes, reaching into her teal Michael Kors purse for a white business card detailing the information for the group.

 

“He’ll only be able to read it using his werewolf eyes,” Seren explains at Stiles’s confused expression at the blank white card.

 

Liam turns to Theo, a frown crossing his beautiful face, eyes swirling with confusion and hurt. “Is all of this true, Theo?”

 

Theo wipes a hand across his face, terrified at admitting the truth, but aware he wouldn’t get away with a lie. “Yeah.”

 

“Why didn’t you just tell me? I thought we were friends?” Liam asks, choking on the word ‘friend.’  The beta steps closer to him. “Is that where you go every Wednesday?”

 

Theo nods, tongue heavy in his throat. “It’s a burden.” 

 

Liam’s eyes blaze, jaw clenching in anger, but Theo smells his anguish. “So, talking to me is a burden? Or am I just a burden overall to you since you’ve got it in your head that you have to protect me from everything, even if it means dying in the process?”

 

“Don’t be an idiot,” Theo sighs, grabbing the beta’s hand despite the growl building in the boy’s chest and lacing their fingers together, preventing him from moving away. It makes him uncomfortable to be so vulnerable, especially in front of so many people, and he needs Liam’s touch to anchor him. “ _ I’m _ a burden. I have so much baggage I need to work through, I was embarrassed and ashamed, and I didn’t want you to know how fucked up I am.”

 

“I think he knows,” Stiles fake whispers, successfully dodging Scott’s attempt to slap his arm. He cries out in pain when Lydia comes up behind him to smack him upside the head. 

 

He continues, heart beat even as every word he utters is completely true.“You’re  _ never _ a burden, Liam. I like being the one protecting you and defending you and keeping you safe. I want to be the one you come to when you have a problem, and I want to be the one who fixes it. It makes me feel like I have a purpose, like I finally can do something good. And no, before you ask, I don’t want to do this for anyone else. Just you.”  

 

“You always help me fix things,” Liam notes, rubbing his thumb over Theo’s hand in a comforting gesture. The chimera wanted to purr at the intimate touch. “But I can help you, too, you know. I know I’m not the smartest person in the room.” He gives Claire a pointed glare at this comment, the werecat shrugging her shoulders as if to say ‘at least you’re aware.’ “I can listen whenever you want to talk. Or just hangout with you doing our own things when you don’t. I know some things are hard to say, but whenever you’re ready to say them, I’m here.” 

 

Theo wants to cry at the beta’s words, but he holds himself together, unwilling to break down in a room full of his sort of former enemies. “It’s hard for me to show weakness. I spent half my life being called a failure by the people who were supposed to raise me. But one day, I hope I’ll be someone who’s worthy of you.”

 

“You already are,” Liam whispers, pulling his bottom lip in with his teeth to chew nervously on it.

 

Theo unconsciously swipes his tongue out to wet his own lips. “As more than just your friend.”

 

“ _ You already are, _ ” Liam repeats firmly, face scrunching up in annoyance as he begins to glare at Theo. 

 

“What? Theo stammers, trying to pull his hand back from Liam’s. There must be a mistake. He must have heard wrong. 

 

Liam doesn’t let him move backwards, rolling his eyes at the older boy in front of him. “Now who’s the dense one?”  He uses their entwined hands to pull Theo forward, Liam raising his free hand to Theo’s chest, stopping Theo’s momentum at the tug to keep them from toppling over. 

 

The beta crashes his lips to Theo’s, the stunned chimera motionless for a few seconds before hungirly kissing him back. 

 

“Thank fucking god,” Claire groans, earning a few laughs from the other people in the room.

 

“Here’s your replacement cat,” Serena laughs, placing the other Maine Coon in Liam’s arms when he breaks the short kiss with Theo.

 

“I’m happy for you both, but I still don’t understand why Claire was pretending to be Liam’s cat,” Lydia remarks, lips set in a slight frown at being unable to solve the problem on her own.

 

“Ah…” Claire trails off, nervously. “I’ve been practicing my full shift, and I finally got it on the day Liam found me. But, I couldn’t figure out how to shift back. The more times you shift and shift back, the easier it is so retain your human side. But since I was so new at it, the longer I stayed stuck, the more my cat took over. And Liam’s a great cat dad who spoiled me, so I basically forgot I was a human…”

 

“Until Liam showed us a picture of Princess Lea on Friday,” Skyla picks up from Claire’s explanation.

 

“And we saw the star pattern on her eyes and wondered if it was Claire, since she mentioned in group that she was trying to shift.

 

“We thought she was spying on Liam for some reason,” Serena continues. “Since we owed you a favor, we decided we were honorbound to investigate. So, basically we left school early, stole her from your room, and changed her back.”

 

“But we kind of fucked the spell up and took her powers away,” Skyla adds, smiling apologetically at Claire. 

 

Claire laughs, unfazed by her week long experience as a cat and her subsequent loss of powers. Theo freaked out after receiving Scott’s text about Liam, never giving her a chance to explain why her powers were suddenly gone...granted, she kind of put the story off for a while because, hello, fucking embarrassing as hell, and she learned  _ way _ too much about the dramatic beta..

 

“It all worked out,” she says, smiling over at Theo and Liam who were cuddled together again on the recliner with Leo. 

 

Theo raises his head from Liam’s shoulder. “I  _ told  _ you to only practice when other people were around.”

 

Liam rolls his eyes at his new boyfriend. “It’s good to know you talk pretentiously to other people besides me. Who knew our big bad chimera was such a stuffy know-it-all?” 

 

Everyone in the room laughs, Stiles, unsurprisingly, being the loudest. “Derek says he’ll split his riches with you when his best-selling book about teenage supernaturals is turned into a movie.”

 

“Did he really say that?” Lydia asks skeptically, raising an eyebrow at her ex-boyfriend.

 

Stiles glares at the Banshee, sticking his tongue out at her. “I can read between the lines.”

 

“So Liam, you got a new boyfriend and a cat all in one day,” Skyla remarks, proudly standing by her sister. “Pretty good start to the Christmas season.”

 

“This sets the bar pretty high for present expectations this year,” Scott jokes, relief evident on the Alpha’s face at being able to begin his Winter Break drama free.

 

Liam’s smile is so wide, Theo thinks his cheeks must hurt. “I have everything I want this year.”

 

Theo places a soft kiss on the beta’s cheek. “Does that mean I should return your gift?”

 

“No, no, no,” he stammers, accidentally jostling the sleeping cat in his lap. Leo leaps up, glaring up at the two boys once he lands gracefully on the floor. “Let’s not making any rash decisions, now.”

 

Theo smiles fondy at him. “Well, obviously we’ll need to go shopping for Leo. I’m buying him his own yurt. Which is going in my room.”

 

Liam scoffs. “I don’t know what a yurt is, but he’s sleeping in my room.”

 

“No way, your snoring will keep him up all night, and he’ll never get his beautyrest.” Theo pauses, furrowing his eyebrows in distress. “And then eventually he’ll look as bad you.”

 

Liam glares, punching Theo hard in the shoulder, which only serves to bring a huge smile to the chimera’s face.

 

“It’s nice to know some things never change,” Scott remarks happily, tossing his arm around Stiles and Lydia, glad to be home and surrounded by his pack.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the first story I have ever started AND finished! Thank you to everyone who has reviewed or left kudos. I appreciate all feedback/constructive criticism :)


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